The pandemic of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) represents one of the greatest challenges faced by biomedical science. Although AIDS has been kept in check, to a certain degree, in the U.S. through the use of antiretroviral therapy, infections still occur and not all Americans have access to appropriate therapies. In other parts of the world, particularly Africa, AIDS is devastating with infections occurring at an unchecked rate. In addition, in those infected regions, sophisticated antiretroviral therapy is not available which often results in high and often rapid mortality.
Short of the availability of an effective vaccine it is absolutely essential to develop new, effective and economical drug therapies. This is particularly important because of the ability of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent for AIDS, to become resistant to some effective therapies.
One of the problems with the generation of new drug therapies against HIV is the development of resistance by the virus to the therapy. Unfortunately, the development of resistance has become a serious problem with AZT (zidovudine). Resistant viruses are also developing against the newer protease inhibitor drug therapies. With the development of resistance it is critical to continually develop new drug therapies against HIV. Therefore, what are needed are novel efficacious drug therapies for the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.